The invention relates to an anti-skid device for motor vehicles, with a plurality of chain lines which are fastened to a holder capable of being set in rotational movement and of which the ends facing away from the holder, with the holder rotating in the operating position, are thrown away from the holder under the effect of centrifugal force into the region of the ground contact surface of a rotating vehicle tire, with a carrier mounted on the vehicle and intended for the holder, and with a drive unit which, from the driver's cab of the vehicle, can be subjected by way of a compressed-gas pipe to the pressure of a gaseous mediumhand by means of which the carrier can be moved out of a position of rest into the operating position.
There are known anti-skid devices of the foregoing type, of which the drive unit for the carrier usually designed as a pivotable jib arm can be subjected to compressed air from a compressed-air system present in the vehicle for braking purposes (EP 0,162,823 B1). It goes without saying that this possibility for actuating the drive unit is unavailable on vehicles without compressed-air braking systems, that is to say particularly on light lorries or small buses. In order, here too, to ensure that the anti-skid device can be operated from the driver's seat with similar ease to heavy-goods vehicles and omnibuses, it has already been suggested to equip the corresponding smaller vehicles with a separate compressed-air generating system in order to operate the anti-skid device. However, in practice, putting this idea into effect and using it widely have always been unsuccessful for reasons of cost, space and safety.